Marma Point Therapy is an energy healing practice that emerged within the 5000-year-old Ayurvedic system of healing. It is based upon an elaborate energetic matrix that is commonly believed to have been the foundation for later point therapies such as acupuncture, acupressure, and reflexology. Traditional Indian Medicine Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are the oldest systems of health care: the former mastering 5,000 years of documentations, the latter at least 3,000 years.
Marma Chikitsa or Marma Therapy, has origins in the
martial arts traditions of Kerala, India. Ancient Kalari warriors used
their knowledge of Marma for both healing and battle purposes. They were
also trained in Ayurvedic medicine and Yoga to strengthen their bodies and
eliminate obstacles.
From the perspective of etymology, the word Marma is
derived from the root mri with suffix manin, meaning seat of life,
meeting place, secret or essence in Sanskrit. Marma Therapy is the most
subtle of all the Ayurvedic interventions, and the most powerful. Manipulation
of the vital points in the body which are the meeting junctions of two or more
types of tissues like ligaments, tendons, muscles and bones, they can both heal
and harm, and for this reason, the knowledge of Marma was kept sacred
and reserved only for the initiates who could be trusted with this knowledge.
Within the body there are 107 “energy points” called Marma Points or Marmani
(plural). These points are tasked with being used as a diagnostic and
healing mechanism that works to integrate the mind, body, and soul for deeper
consciousness. They are located at anatomical sites where tissues intersect and
are classified by the dominant physical regions muscle, vessel, ligament, and
joint/ bony regions. These points connect through physical channels called srotas
and energetic channels called nadis, which transmit to the tissues and
organs (dhatus) and energy centers (chakras), where they become
refined, opening the path for clear perception. This principle or role of Marmani
can be found in raja or higher yogic practices, that involve spontaneous
meditation with a focus on attuning to prana and yoga nidra on
the 18 Yogic Marma Points.
Marmani have numerous similarities to principal
acupoints in Chinese medicine, specifically having 75 corresponding points.
Both fields focus on energy points that are utilized to restore harmony within
the autonomic nervous system to provide therapeutic benefits to the body.
Marma Points have a correlation to the internal and
external features, doshas (constitution) and subdoshas governing all
of the bodily systems via the nervous system. According to Sushrut, a
pioneer within Indian surgical practices, there are six regions based on major
body parts: the four extremities, trunk, head, and neck. Which are then divided
according to the five tissue structures: muscle, veins, ligaments, bone, and
joints. From this basis we get the Marma Point classifications.
A few key points:
3 Maha (major) Marma Points: Staphani/ajna
(third eye), Hridayam (heart), Nabi (navel)
8 Sadyah (great) Marma Points:
● Adhipati/Murdhni
(crown)
● Brahmarandhra
(anterior to crown)
● Shivarandhra
(posterior to crown)
● Ajna/Stahpani
(third eye)
● Shanka
(right and left temple)
● Hridayam
(heart)
● Nabhi
(umbilicus/navel)
● Guda
(anus)
5 Special or extra vital Marmani, those that can
cause death or serious injury when traumatized:
● Kantha
(trachea)
● Griva
(back of the neck)
● Basti
(bladder)
● Vrushana
(testicles)
● Yoni
Jihva (clitoris)
Comparison of West/East:
Marma as a practice is described to have derived from
battlefield culture, as in Vedic times it was realized that attacking
enemies at Marma Points resulted in serious injury or fatality. This
knowledge was only preliminary until the Susruta Samhita, an Ayurvedic
classic, provided systematic knowledge of Marma. It provided 107
locations of Marma Points and their different classifications with
detailed anatomical information. From this point Marma found its way
into the medical realm and into Ayurvedic texts.
Coming from Ayurvedic practices and being born in
Southeastern Asia there are some confusions to the practice in the Western
realm. In the west there is the belief that there are 107 fixed points on the
physical anatomy and due to limited understanding of how Marma functions
there are few controlled trials on their mechanism. In comparison Ayurvedic
practices believe that Marma Points are flexible and adapt depending upon
the individual. Since Marma has been a key aspect of Ayurvedic healing
there are studies and implantations of it as a diagnostic tool and healing
modality. From this view Marma is said to be used for pain relief,
calming the mind and balancing emotions, balancing the doshas, channel
disturbances, organ dysfunction, enhances awareness, preventative care, and
rejuvenation.
To activate Marma Points:
- Use the tips of your fingers to gently or firmly stimulate each Marma Point.
- Massage each point in a clockwise or counterclockwise circular motion for up to 5 minutes with holdings.
- Optionally, use herb-infused massage oils, small hand stones and/or a tuning fork to stimulate or relax each point of the treatment.
- Motion direction, pressure and products used are chosen according to the constitution and condition of the patient and the desired outcomes
Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10382659/
Chayaveda Ayurvedic Massage & Bodywork Specialist
Training Manual
